What happens when
school is out?
The Summer Food Service
Program for Children!
This USDA food service
program provides nutritious
meals and snacks for
children in needy areas
during summer months.
Nonprofit agencies which
qualify as sponsors get Federal
dollars to pay for meals and snacks
served to children at sites like schools,
churches, playgrounds, and parks.
They also get training and technical
assistance to start and operate the
program.
If you would like to help feed needy
children this summer, the information
that follows will tell you how the
summer food program works. For
more details, contact the Food and
Nutrition regional office which serves
your State. Addresses and phone
numbers are listed on the following
page.
Summer Food and Fun (FNS-174) Food and Nutrition Service
Summer Food Service Program for Children U.S. Department of Agriculture
Ulluzt klfrt tions, residential summer camps, • make sure meals are served only to city government agencies, and children. • vaila!Jk? school systems. • make sure meals are eaten at the ~ltl • To be eligible, you must: site. • provide a continuing year-round The government agency that ad- service to the community. (Certain Ulluzt a/x,ut mflab?
ministers the Summer Food Service exceptions may be allowed by the Program for Children in your State administering agency.)
will help you apply for, set up, and • serve meals on a regular schedule Your administering agency deter- operate a meal service. In most to children from needy areas, or pro- mines which combination of break- States, either the State department vide meals as part of an organized fast, lunch, supper or snacks each of education or the Food and Nutri- program for enrolled children in site can serve. Meals must meet tion Service (FNS) regional office of camps. minimum USDA requirements to the U.S. Department of Agriculture • operate the program in areas ensure that children get the nour- (USDA) is the administering agency. where at least one-third ofthe ishing food they need to grow strong ~chnlcal ~~~~dft:incfl children would qualify for free or and healthy. reduced-price meals under the Na- As a sponsor you can have food tional School Lunch and School prepared in several ways. The meals
The people at your administering Breakfast Programs, or you must can be prepared at the site, at a cen- agency can help you in several ways. qualify as a camp. tral kitchen serving several sites, or They can provide guidance on opera- • demonstrate to your adminis- by a commercial food service man- tions, program management, train- tering agency your financial and agement company. In deciding which ing, and recordkeeping. They can administrative ability to operate method of meal preparation to use, also help make sure that people who the program. you should consider the cost and run the program understand and • accept financial and administra- number of meals needed, the types follow program regulations. tive responsibility at all sites where of meals served, and the kinds and
J!aimf,utlflmfln~ you serve meals under the program. number of sites participating in the • demonstrate your ability to comply program. with program regulations. To make sure children get high- As an approved sponsor, you will • be able to keep children at your site quality meals, your administering submit claims to your administering while meals are eaten. agency will help you develop food agency for money to reimburse your • have enough personnel to super- specifications and meal quality costs of operating and administer- vise, operate, manage, and monitor standards. Meals must be delivered
ing the program. each site. to each site and must be served in
Reimbursements for operating complete units.
expenses cover the costs of food, UIJu, can .!J ~fl~llfl? Local school officials are good
labor for food preparation and ser- contacts in developing program
vice, and certain other items like plans. Many know USDA require-utensils
and napkins. You can serve children who are 18 ments, understand children's pref-
These rates of reimbursement are years of age and younger, and all erences, and have meal preparation
adjusted annually to reflect changes handicapped persons participating and serving facilities that are often
in the Consumer Price Index. The in public school programs for the not in use during the summer.
following are the rates for the sum- handicapped. The meals you serve must satisfy
mer of 1978. You can be reimbursed the meal pattern requirements out-up
to 51.50 cents for each breakfast Ulluzta'lfl lined in the following charts. These
you serve, 92.75 cents for lunches requirements are based on proposed
and suppers, and 24.25 cents for ""! 'lll~p(}mlftllitl(lj? regulations and are subject to midmorning and midafternoon change. snacks, or your actual expenditures - whichever is less. As a sponsor, you must meet cer- f,//k'lfl can .!J appfr? Additional funds are also available tain program guidelines to make for administrative expenses. sure that children receive nutritious The reimbursements cover the and appealing meals. You must: To participate in the Summer Food meals served to all eligible children. • serve meals that meet USDA stan- Service Program you must apply to
dards for quality and nutrition. your administering agency each em .!J lxl a ~p(}m(Yc? • be responsible for appropriate rec- year. Final application deadlines ords and finances for each site. vary by State. As a general rule, most • meet all Summer Food Service States require applications before If you are a public or private non- Program contractual agreements. the program starts operating profit, nonresidential institution or statewide. residential summer camp, you may In addition to the sponsors' re- For details on the Summer Food be eligible to sponsor a summer sponsibilities, each site must: Service Program for Children, con-program.
In past years, summer • keep accurate records. tact the regional office of the Food food program sponsors have been • make sure meals served meet meal and Nutrition Service that serves churches, social service organiza- pattern requirements. your State: In Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts,
New Hampshire, Rhode Island,
and Vermont:
New England Regional Office
Food and Nutrition Service, USDA
34 Third Avenue
Burlington, Massachusetts 01803
telephone: (617) 272-0860
In Delaware, the District of Columbia,
Maryland, New Jersey, New
York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico,
Virgin Islands, Virginia, and West
Virginia:
Mid-Atlantic Regional Office
Food and Nutrition Service, USDA
One Vahlsing Center
Robbinsville, New Jersey 08691
telephone: (609)259-3041 x. 303
In Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky,
Mississippi, North Carolina,
South Carolina, and Tennessee:
Southeast Regional Office
Food and Nutrition Service, USDA
1100 Spring Street, N.W.- Room 200
Atlanta, Georga 30309
telephone: (404) 881-4911
In Illinois, Indiana, Michigan,
Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin:
Midwest Regional Office
Food and Nutrition Servic , USDA
536 South Clark Street
Chicago. Illinois 60605
telephone: (312) 353-6673
In Arkansas, Louisiana,
New Mexico, Oklahoma, and
Texas:
Southwest Regional Office
Food and Nutrition Service, USDA
1100 Commerce Street, Room 5-C-30
Dallas, Texas 75242
telephone: (214) 749-2391
In Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri,
Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota,
South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming:
Mountain Plains Regional Office
Food and Nutrition Service, USDA
2420 West 26th Avenue
Denver, Colorado 80211
telephone: (303) 837-5071
In Alaska, Arizona, American
Samoa, California, Guam, Hawaii,
Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Trust Ter-ritory
of the Pacific Islands, and
Washington:
Western Regional Office
Food and Nutrition Service, USDA
550 Kearney Street, Room 400
San Francisco, California 94108
telephone: (415) 556-4956
}!J'm9'«Un ~~~
The U.S. Department of Agriculture
offers a number of useful and
informative guides, posters, and
booklets to help you give children
in your area a healthy, nutritious
summer. These guides will help you
plan and prepare appealing meals,
and will help you operate a successful
summer food program.
The following are a few of the publications
available to you. Requests
- giving both the title, series, and
number of publications needed -
should be addressed to the Food
and Nutrition Service regional office
for your State.
The publications listed here are
free of charge.
Sponsor Handbook (PA-1182)
Sponsors perform a vital service
to children participating in the
Summer Food Service Program
for Children. To run the program
smoothly, sponsors should follow
the instructions in this useful,
all-inclusive guide. The handbook
discusses general program requirements
and procedures. It also
includes specific information on
planning and preparing meals,
recordkeeping, and storage.
Site Supervisor's Guide (PA-1179)
Children are served meals
at supervised local sites such
as schools, playgrounds, and
churches. With a little effort, site
personnel can make the summertime,
and meals, enjoyable for
neighborhood children. This
pocketsize guide is an everyday
reminder of site duties and responsibilities.
Summer Food Service program for
Children Poster (PA-1133)
This bright, easy-to-read poster
reminds program sponsors and site
personnel of the eight "must-do's"
for the Summer Food Service Program
for Children. The poster also
includes a chart explaining requirements
for meals served in
the summer food program.
~a! Pattfl~ID
Food Component Amount
BREAKFAST ti Milk (fluid) 1cup
fJuice (fruit or vegetable) or
Fruit or Vegetable 1/2 cup
.Bread or 1 slice
Cereal 3/4 cup or
1 ouncel
SNACKS2 6 Milk (fluid) 1cup
(supplemental food) 41fMeat or Meat Alternate 1 ounce
fJuice (fruit or vegetable) or
Vegetable or Fruit 3/4cup
.Bread or 1 slice
Cereal 3/4cup
or 1 ouncel
LUNCH or 6Milk (fluid) 1cup
SUPPER ~Meat or Poultry or Fish or Cheese or 2 ounces
Eggs or 1
Dry beans (cooked) or peas or 1/2 cup
Peanut butter 4 tablespoons
I Fruits (2 or more) or
Vegetables ( 2 or more) 3/4 cup3
llBread 1 slice
1. whichever is less
2. choose two of the four components
3. vegetable or fruit juice not more than 1/4 cup
Rules for acceptance and partici-pation
in this program are the same
for all, without regard to race, color,
sex, or national origin.
March 1978
The Summer Foo Service Program
for C ildren.
This USDA food ervice program
provides nutritious meals and
snacks for children in needy areas
during sum er months.
Nonprofit agenc es which qualify
as sponsors get Fe eral dollars to pay
for meals and s acks served to
children at sit s like schools,
churches, playgr unds, and parks.
They also get trai ing and technical
assistance o start and
operate th program.
If you would 1i e to help feed
needy children this summer, read on.
For more details, contact the Food and
Nutrition regional office which
serves your State. Addresses and
phone numbers are listed
on the other side.
